C-564 Charger
The C-564 Eclipse Light Cruiser manufactured by Mirai Industries based on the Jehdan planet of Tanthalas. Designed by an eccentric scientist Filo Fry, it was sold to Mirai who decided to use it as the template for a new class of medium sized vessels for private use. Built on a sturdy frame, it was remarkable for offering a high degree of customization which made it immensely popular throughout the Known Universe. While even Mirai Industries does not have reliable records of how many have been made and sold, there are believed to be hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of Eclipses found across the spaceways. 'Characteristics' Built from a design conceived by a self styled mad scientist, the ship which became the C-564 Eclipse was notable for its high efficiency and relatively cheap construction. It was remarkably fast and durable, and was very easy to replace damaged parts. After being purchased from Professor Fry, it was used as a template and pushed into production to fulfill the need for a light transport vessel which could be configured to serve a wide variety of tasks. Its high degree of modularization revolutionized the market for medium sized space ships and enabled it to be mass produced and arranged into new configurations without extensive retooling. The ship's frame was designed to be sleek and appealling looking while possessing a good deal of interior space. The Eclipse possesses a sloping central hull with two outrigging pods on either side which contain the engines and two intake pods running along the bottom of the craft. Two stabilizing fins rise from the engine pods. The front of the engine pods contain the hypercoils which generate the hyperfield which the ship uses for FTL travel. The ship's bridge is in a blister which protrudes from the front of the top of the ship. The Eclipse uses a tripod style landing gear with the front leg doubling as the ramp leading into the cargo bay area while the rear legs are folded around the intakes. The stock color of the Eclipse's hull was usually silver. While its exterior was fairly consistent across the various versions, the interior of the C-564 could be configured for a wide array of purposes, including cargo freighter, passenger transport, science vessel, or military attack craft. Most versions of the Eclipse had 3 decks with the Bridge and various ops facilities being found on the upper deck, crew quarters in the middle and the cargo bay and engine room being found on the lower deck. Versions that were purposed specifically as cargo freighters often had the second deck removed completely and spartan crew quarters replacing the specialized facilities on Deck 1. 'Versions' Many different configurations of the Eclipse were marketed to the public. It is important to note that given its predominantly civilian use most versions of the Eclipse Class were not built with weapons. Only the D variant which was marketed specifically to the military was made with weapon emplacements. However, because of the Eclipse's modular design, it was very easy to take parts from the D variants and illegally modify the other variants with them. All versions are well known for their high speed and ease of maintenance. It is said that Eclipse's are so rugged and durable that a total idiot could keep one flying. 'C-564' The first run of the Eclipse was an exact replica of Professor Fry's original design. It was made to be an all purpose craft with a large cargo bay, comfortable crew quarters and a large cargo bay. Several decades after this model was produced more specialized versions followed. This version was kept in production through the beginning of the A and B-Variants, but was eventually phased out when the C-Variant came online. Very few of the original C-564's still fly, as most have been cannibalized for spare parts for later C-Classes. However, there are some still maintained in private collections of individuals who collect and maintain classic space ships. 'C-564A' The A was purposed specifically as a cargo transport, but ironically is not typically used by shipping companies except for exceptionally large deliveries. It was designed to run with a smaller crew and many of the facilities were removed to create more cargo storage. The spartan crew facilities made these vessels enormously unpopular for long missions. Also while the larger cargo bay allows for greater storage, it also lacks secure holding. 'C-564B' The B version was made as a passenger transport vessel. It was often bought by Intergalactic Ferry Services to serve as local transports which would then link up a larger ship with an intergalactic drive which would transport the ships to another galaxy. 'C-564C' When the more specialized A and B variants proved unpopular, Mirai decided to go back to formula with the design with the C-Variant. The C was an upgrade of the original C-564 design, made with a similar layout but with vastly upgraded systems and more efficient engines. However, the C-Variant's most popular feature was its increased degree of modularization. It was very easy to alter the internal layout of the ship without compromising its structural integrity, and it was an easy matter to switch out obselete parts as newer, better parts became available for them. This version was far and away the most popular, and probably 90% of the Eclipse's found throughout the Universe are C-variants. The ship is so popular that it is still produced, though in far smaller numbers than years passed. The C-Class is actually more popular among cargo couriers than the specifically purposed A-Variant since it possesses a sizable cargo bay while the various rooms on the middle deck can be used to further secure sensitive cargo. 'C-564D' The D was made specifically for the military. It was given armor plating and armed to the teeth. The ship was notoriously overpowered and had a problem with ripping itself apart when pushed. Not many of these vessels still exist, but various parts of it sometimes found their way into C variants which were used by smugglers and pirates. 'Trivia' - The best known C-564 is the Rocco II (formerly the Red Jewel) which serves as the mobile base of the Magnificent 7. It should be noted though that the Rocco II has been modified FAR beyond the usual specs for the Eclipse Class and is capable of remarkably high performance. During its time as a pirate ship, it was given armor plating, sensors, weapons, shields, and a power plant and hyperdrive scavenged from much larger ships.